CPD data indicates vehicle thefts down, but stolen vehicles being used for other crimes, according to assistant chief
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Data from the Columbia Police Department indicates there have been a decrease in motor vehicle thefts compared to last year.
CPD Assistant Police Chief Jill Schlude said during Monday night's North District crime and safety meeting that stolen vehicles have been used more often recently to commit other crimes.
"I have seen an uptick in cars that are specifically stolen to be used in an unrelated crime," Schlude said Monday. "So we had a rash of 'let's steal a car let's crash it into Breaktime and rob breaktime.' Or, 'Let's steal a car and crash it into the gun store.'"
The department data shows car thefts were on the rise at this point in the year the previous two years.
The data is incomplete for June 2023, however, comparing the data between Jan. 1-May 31, there were:
- In 2020: 66 motor vehicle thefts;
- In 2021: 76;
- In 2022: 88;
- In 2023: 70.
Total motor vehicle thefts by year:
- 2020: 212
- 2021: 190
- 2022: 243
- 2023 Year-to-date: 74
Schlude added that while this data is specific to the Northern District, this problem is happening all over town.
"There is no place in town, and I'm not saying this because the entire town is dangerous," Schlude said. "But there are opportunistic criminals everywhere in town."
Boone County's Captain Brian Leer said the Sheriff's Office is seeing the same opportunistic criminals in the county as well.
"Unfortunately, a large percentage of crime that we see has a vehicle nexus to it at some point," said Leer. "So they have to get from point a to point b, a lot of times they don't want to use their vehicle or they don't have a vehicle."
"But most usually what we're seeing is it's to get from one place to another and all too often that vehicle is crashed out somewhere, damaged somewhere, or we find them burned up," said Leer.
